Citrix Unveils New Pack for Windows Cloud Apps and Desktops

The recent World Hosting Days (WHD.global) event in Germany set the stage for Citrix’s introduction of a new “Cloud Provider Pack” for cloud hosting providers delivering Windows apps and desktops as a service. The new pack is available only to certified Citrix service providers and is designed for setting up a “Windows-as-a-Service” business optimized for mobile devices.

To make cloud services profitable and provide good customer service, according to Citrix, “cloud providers need efficiencies in the data center, superior end-user experience with all types of apps, and support for every type of device.”

“Gone are the days when apps could be contained to the desktop or the data center – now they originate from personal, private and public clouds,” said Bill Burley, vice president and general manager, Cloud App Delivery at Citrix, in a prepared statement. “Cloud providers need solutions to grow and manage their businesses efficiently, while providing the applications and device flexibility their customers require.”

“The Citrix Cloud Provider Pack brings Desktop-as-a-Service to a new level by delivering advanced technologies that make life easier for cloud providers while providing an enhanced experience for end users,” he added.

In February 2012 Citrix launched CloudStack 3.0, re-branded from its Cloud.com acquisition in July 2011. Also this month social gaming company Zynga announced its own proprietary cloud based on Citrix XenServer and CloudStack.

The Citrix Cloud Provider Pack will be available by the end of March and will support hosted shared apps and desktops running on XenApp 6.5.